Gadgets are the food for lovers of technology. Whether you admit it or not, gadgets are a part of your life. Are you someone who drools over the latest technological inventions? If yes is your answer, here is a list of the 15 greatest gadgets of the last decade for you. Go through this list and find out which are the pieces of stuff that changed your life in the last 10 years.
Greatest Gadgets
It is amazing to think how technology has changed our lives. Think about it. Could you imagine as a child that you could watch full-length movies in the palm of your hand? Or you could hear the latest chartbusters anytime, anywhere without actually visiting a store? It was also highly unlikely that you could carry all your important details in something as little as your thumb. But all that has been made possible – thanks to technological innovations. There has been extraordinary technological progress in the last 10 years. Take 10 steps back and see which gadgets of the decade were.
Here is a compilation of the best gadgets for the decade 1999 to 2009. Our choice may differ from yours. But you have got to admit that these pieces of stuff made a lot of noise when they came out. And they have been path-breaking innovations. Rewind your life and check some of the most famous gadgets of the last decade.
1. ReplayTV RTV2001 and TiVo HDR110 (1999)
Talk of rewind and the Replay TV comes to mind. This terrific device streams TV signals to an internal hard drive. This lets people record their favorite shows and view them at leisure. The TiVo HDR110 performed the same purpose. The devices came at around the same time. Users of the Replay TV and Tivo can store their chosen programs and rewind them whenever they liked. These ended decades of missing out on your shows. It let people upload their favorite shows on video-sharing sites.
2. Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer (1999)
It was the first commercial optical mouse. The Intellimouse from Microsoft was a lot cheaper and more functional than its predecessors. You no longer needed a smooth pad to operate your mouse on.
3. Sony Aibo ERS-110 (1999)
When it came out in 1999, this cute robotic pup from Sony became a talking point overnight. It was seen as a sort of technological breakthrough and the perfect machine to kick-start an era of technology. It was also a machine that was bestowed with artificial intelligence. It could sit, stand and act like a puppy. Later models came fitted with a webcam and could recognize and obey voice commands. The Aibo could be taught to perform simple duties like babysitting.
4. M-Systems DiskOnKey (2000)
The flash drive is undoubtedly, one of the best gadgets of the past decade. It ended the dominion of the floppies and CDs and found a way into the pocket of most students and business professionals. Suddenly, copying your projects and research work was no more a cause of concern. The petite M-Systems DiskOnKey took care of all your important files as well as movies and music.
5. Sony PlayStation 2 (2000)
When you want something innovative, you can always rely on Sony. The new millennium saw the PS2 emerge and take on the Nintendos and Dreamcasts. It set the standard for other biggies like the Microsoft Xbox and GameCube from Nintendo. Other than being a gaming console it also allowed users to play movies. Coming at $300, it was pricier than its rivals. But it flew off the shelves in no time.
6. Jabra’s Bluetooth Headset (2000)
This amazing product made people talk to themselves. Yes, that is what it seems like when seen from a distance. But this incredible earpiece took communication to a hi-tech level. It brought more pleasure in communication. Plus it also kept the hands free while driving. You could talk to your friend on mobile while driving safely to the office. A lot of lives were possibly saved because of this little device.
7. iPod (2001)
This winning product changed the fortunes of Apple Inc. and made it an overnight sensation. This portable media player was launched on 23rd October 2001. With the ability to store a thousand songs and more, the iPod became an asset for every music lover. It immediately made things simpler for you. You could carry all your music, TV shows and movies in one single device that was not larger than your palm. It came with the iTunes software that could make users download songs from the Apple online store for a fee. The later models were iPod Classic, iPod Touch, iPod Nano and iPod shuffle.
iRobot Roomba Intelligent Floorvac (2002).
The long-cherished dream of making a robot work in your room was finally realized with the Roomba. Used by more than 2 million people, the Roomba cleans intelligently with its 14” wide vacuum cleaner.
8. Blackberry (2002)
In the smart phone industry there is now the BB and AB – ‘Before Blackberry’ and ‘After Blackberry’. The mobile industry saw a revolution in the path-breaking Blackberry smart phone. The brainchild of the Canadian company Research in Motion, the Blackberry was stylish and elegant. It came loaded with features that the business class was always looking for. In an instant, you could send or receive an e-mail, chat with your clients, open and check the attachments and surf the net at a blazing speed. The QWERTY keyboard became the highlight of the phone. Suddenly, typing no longer became so difficult. You could write an entire e-mail just as easily as you do it in your PC. For businessmen the Blackberry became as necessary as the briefcase. In recent years, it has found a way to the pockets of students and has changed from a business phone to an all-important communication tool. It is now also being used by young people to stay connected with friends.
9. Handspring Treo 600 (2003)
It was an answer to those who looked for a palmtop in their cell phone or vice versa. The Treo 600 was brought out by Handspring, a rival of the Palm before it was taken over by the latter. The device came with a QWERTY keyboard similar to the Blackberry. It became the gadget of the year and is still very popular.
10. Motorola Razr V3 (2004)
There are mobiles and then, there are mobiles. The ultra-slim MotoRazr came with a flip-open lid and became a rage overnight. It made big guys and girls go weak in the knees. It became a dream phone for the kids and teenagers. Owning a MotoRazr became the new style statement.
The elegant clamshell design apart, the device came loaded with features like
- 640 X 480-resolution camera
- 4X digital zoom
- MPEG-4 video quality
- Bluetooth
In a way, it was the precursor of the smart phones.
11. Vodafone 3G Data Card (2004)
It brought the actual ‘internet freedom’ thousands had been looking for. The revolutionary 3G Data Card from Vodafone let you create an internet hotspot anytime and anywhere. It created a mad rush among other telecom companies to bring out a better product. But it was Vodafone that was the pioneer of mobile Data Card internet.
12. Slingbox (2005)
The arrival of the Slingbox solved a crucial problem for travelers who missed their TV shows while journeying. This small device gave people the option of watching TV programs even in the absence of the television. If you have a computer and access to high-speed internet connection, the Slingbox can bring cable channels right before your eyes. This 2002 device remains a landmark in technology associated with television.
13. Amazon Kindle (2007)
The hectic life left most people with no time for one of their favourite activities – reading books. But the Amazon Kindle changed all that. A breakthrough device from Amazon Inc., the Kindle was all you needed to read all your favourite books on the go. This electronic device is now in its 3rd generation and known as the Kindle DX. It comes with digital ink and reading on the Kindle feels just like reading printed material. Whether is the morning paper or eBooks, you can just turn on the Kindle and start reading. For busy professionals, it brought back the joys of reading.
14. iPhone (2007)
It continues to be one of the best-known gadgets of the decade gone by. When it first appeared in 2007, the iPhone changed the rules of the mobile industry. It also single-handedly began an era of smartphones. The main features in the iPhone include
- Video calling facility
- SMS
- Visual Voicemail
- WIFI
- Touch screen keyboard
- Music Player
- Video Recorder
- Video Player
The iPhone is now available in its 4th version. It continues to be immensely popular across the globe. It is one of the best-known products of Apple Inc.
Hope you liked reading about the 15 greatest gadgets of the last decade. Send in your feedback and let us know which of these you feel to be one of the best gadgets ever.